to look outside of ourselves for leadership? That's a trap. Isn't it
time we looked inside ourselves to see how we can be the leader we
want and need to be in the 21st century? I certainly think so.
Leadership used to be about telling people what to do. We saw the
manager as "hero." Managers were needed to solve problems, needed for
their technical expertise and their know-how. They were needed to keep
the ship running in tiptop shape!
All our old leadership models came from the military, where people
took their command from a few people at the top. These models don't
work in today's world. As the industrial age models rust, the power
has shifted from the people who sell, to the people who buy.
Today's business leader needs to a master juggler, and a compassionate
listener. She needs to be savvy and intuitive and sharp as a tack in
business matters. Most of all today's leader needs to be able to
mobilize HUMAN energy, align it and direct it towards a single goal –
creating more value for the customer. This, in turn creates a more
profitable company. Companies that have high levels of customer
happiness and employee happiness outperform those who don't. It's
pretty simple.
I believe there are seven traits of successful leaders for the 21st Century.
Creative thinker - Einstein said, "The world we have created is a
product of our way of thinking" Nothing will change in the future
without fundamentally new ways of thinking.
If we want to create a new world we have to first change our thinking
and thinking patterns. 80% of the population thinks reactively. They
take action to make something go away (usually a problem.) The other
20% are creative thinkers – they take action to make something come
into being (the creation.)
Creative thinkers thrive on the question "What's Possible?" Reactive
thinkers ask, "What's wrong?" or "Who's to blame?" Reactive thinkers
live in reaction and response to circumstances. Creative thinkers go
beyond circumstances.
The next quality of tomorrow's leader is "Change readiness." The
Change-ready individual embraces change. They understand the process
of change and how it affects most people, and is skilled at enrolling
people in it with a minimum amount of fear.
Most people do resist change – that's because it forces us right out
of our comfort zones. A leader knows how to move people out of their
comfort zones with dignity and respect. He helps people share a
"common understanding" of the past and why they need to change it and
then provides them with a positive image of their future along with
actions they can all agree will move them in the right direction.
A leader is a Landscape Architect. It's her primary job to build a
living environment– called culture. Culture is the soul of the
enterprise. Today's leader is a master "culture-crafter." He or she
sculpts and crafts an environment that stimulates, excites and invites
people to be the best they can be.
The architect leader knows that the ability to create a nourishing and
challenging environment for people to grow in is more important than
any technical skill she can possess.
Continuous Improvement - The leader of tomorrow will regularly
challenge old beliefs and be passionate about learning and about
applying that learning in the real world. She will often ask my
favorite question "Who is doing something differently then I am and
what can I learn from them?"
The New Leader is Authentic. How and who you are is just as important
as what you know! Hold yourself to the highest standards – don't talk
the talk unless you are prepared to walk the walk. Don't expect of
others what you don't expect from your self. Be real, tell the truth.
The leaders that are the most revered are those that let the light of
who they are shine through in all they do. They are honest, forthright
and clear.
Coach/Facilitator – A leader needs to be a coach not a commander. He
needs to hold space open for things to happen. It is said that when
leaders do their job properly people believe they have done it
themselves. Leaders are there to help people see things from a
different perspective, to provide questions that encourage learning
and to help turn work experiences into learning experiences.
Our new leader is a Visionary. It's clearly documented that visionary
leaders are successful at mobilizing human potential. A vision
provides focus. It's a tool for aligning energy. Clear vision and
purpose provide people with a framework from which to make decisions,
it organizes action and effort.
Clearly a need for a new leadership style exists. Take a good look at
your style and see if you are prepared for living and leading in the
21st century.
Want to find out more about how to be a powerful and compassionate
leader 21st century leader - check out our weekly training program at
http://www.customercarecoach.com
JoAnna Brandi is Publisher of the Customer Care Coach ™ a weekly
training program on mastering "The Art and Science of Exquisite
Customer Care." She is the author of "Winning at Customer Retention,
101 Ways to Keep 'em Happy, Keep 'em Loyal and Keep 'em Coming Back"
and "Building Customer Loyalty - 21 Essential Elements in ACTION" she
writes a free email tip on customer caring. You can sign up at and
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